Every Rose has her thorns
by ClarkieTheCutie
Summary: Rose is a student at Hogwarts. She doesn't quite fit in. She has three good friends. Ginny Weasly, Opal Patil and Luna Lovegood. She has a secret crush. And a not-so-secret one...
1. New friends

She had had a crush on him for years. Never shy, an oppurtunity had simply never arisen for her to approach him. After all, she was a year behind, though in the same house. And he already had so many friends.... And possible girlfriends. What did he need with another one? These are the thoughts running through Rose Devine Clarkson's head as she stood on Platform 9 and 3/4, watching Harry as he talked to Hermione and Ron. It was the Trio's sixth year, Rose's fifth. While Harry was still severly depressed (his friends knew, even if no one else did) he acted normally and was beginning to face up to the fact that he had to kill or be killed. Who could blame him? He had to face his enemy, someone who could also be considered his other half, yet again. What else could be expected. At least he was trying to find things to be happy about. This comforted his friends immensely. Rose had had very little idea about how very depressed he was, though she had found out most of the details of what had happened last year. All the details that Luna had been able to give her, at least. Yes, Rose talked to Luna.  
  
She was best friends with Luna. Rose was also very different. In fact she was a little... eccentric. Though not nearly as obviously as Luna. She was also more traditionally pretty than Luna, which helped. As far as their friendship, it was sometimes difficult, as they were in different houses (Rose was a Gryffindor, same house as Harry, remember?), but they managed. At least they were in the same year. Of course no one knew about her going-on-five-year crush on harry. Or so she flattered herself.  
  
Luna Lovegood smiled knowingly, watching Rose. The girl was so obvious and she didn't even know it. Harry just never seemed to take notice.... But this year Luna was sure it would be different. Just over the summer, Rose had gotten a figure. That always made boys notice you. Luna privately sighed. She would never be curvy. Rose took a deep breath, as she always had to do before walking by Harry, to make sure her knees didn't give out and leave her lying in a simpering puddle on the floor. She went past. Hermione smiled at her. Harry looked to see who she was smiling at, as did Ron. Ron whistled.   
  
"Now SHE has her... uhhh..." he paused, staring at her. "Nose put on straight." Her nose was not the peice of anatomy he was concentrating on. Hermione smacked the back of Ron's head. Harry just grinned... But he was definitely looking at Rose.... Rose, however, had forced herself not to look back. And so missed the whole episode.   
  
As Luna floated dreamily past the Trio, she smiled privately to herself... People thought she didn't see.... But she saw more than most. And not just in a general sort of way.   
  
Rose found a compartment, one at the very end of the train. Unaware it was the same compartment the Trio usually took. Luna soon found that was the only compartment with less than 3 or 4 people in it and joined her... The Trio came up to the door. Rose looked up at saw Harry. She immediately blushed furiously...   
  
"Hello...." Ron was still staring at Rose's ches... errr.... Nose. So much more well placed than Eloise Midgen's.... (As if that's really what he's thinking about... HA!)   
  
Hermione guided Ron to a seat. Luna was already sitting where Hermione had sat next to her and Ron next to Hermione... Which left Rose and Harry on the other seat! Rose was having a really hard time not hyperventilating.... 'I hope I look okay... Are these jeans too tight? I shouldn't have worn muggle clothes......'   
  
"Ummmm what's your name?" When Rose finally surfaced from the depths of her brain, she realized Harry must have asked the same question at least three times. She blushed... Hermione was smiling as she watched over her book. Ron looked decidedly jealous. Wondering why he'd never noticed this very pretty Gryffindor before. "I'm Rose. Fifth year Gryffindor." She bravely held out her hand to shake Harry's. And she didn't even make it obvious she was melting when he took her hand for a brief two second hand shake.  
  
Ron interposed himself between them.   
  
"I'm Ron Weasley. Sixth year."   
  
"Nice to meet you Ron..." She said distractedly.   
  
"Yeah and, as you probably know, I'm Harry." She nodded, smiling smittenly.   
  
'If only Harry wasn't so very THICK when it came to girls....' Luna thought.   
  
"And I'm Hermione." She said, shaking Rose's hand and smiling warmly at the younger girl. Ron was still staring at Rose's chest. Harry looked kind of embarassed. Luna looked as though she was day dreaming but was seeing every move or expression anyone made.   
  
Rose was blushing, confident and brave though she was. Hermione was exasperated about Ron staring at Rose's breasts. After all, let's face it, he's not looking at her nose.   
  
Rose seemed to realize this. She looked at Ron and smiled very, very sweetly. Too sweetly.   
  
"Do I have something on my shirt, Ron?" Ron went beet root red.   
  
Hermione snickered behind her book. Luna half-smiled. Harry surpressed a grin. 'Obviously Rose can stand up for herself...' He thought, amused. Hermione had already decided she likes her, and is considering that, since they are planning on continuing the DA, maybe they could invite Rose to join.... 'I'll have to talk it over with Harry and Ron, of course.' She thought. Just then, as that thought sped through Hermione's whip-quick brain, and was replaced by another, needle sharp thought, the compartment door slid open....  
  
Revealing Draco and his thugs. Rose shifted just the slightest bit... And was that a hint of a flush? No... It must have been the light.   
  
"Well if it isn't Potty, Weasel and the Mudblood..." Draco drawled in his very best 'You're a Gryffindor, I must torture you' voice.   
  
Ron tensed, hand grabbing his wand... Hermione laid a small, restraining hand on his forearm, which was partially bared due to the fact that the robes are two years old, and at least one size too small. Harry stated to jump up too. Without thinking (female maternal (or love bird) instinct must've kicked in) Rose reached out and placed a hand on his shoulder. Harry glanced at her in surprise but sat back down. Rose removed her hand as though she'd been burned.   
  
"And Loony.... And if it isn't Rosie-Wosie, great protectoress of animals and firsties a like. After all, not much difference between a firstie and an animal." Crabbe and Goyle chuckled menacingly. "I suppose you thought that when you were one, Malfoy?" Rose said, coldly, though she still looks a bit red... must be from touching Harry. Malfoy went a little red. Ron looked approvingly at Rose. Luna stared dreamily at Draco. But not really AT him... Mostly THROUGH him.  
  
"You're going out with Pansy Parkinson." She told him. Draco looked midly startled.   
  
"Ummm yeah..." He said, almost in a normal voice. Then he caught himself. "She's not a know-it-all, insane...." He looked at Rose. "Nor is she an insane fan-girl."   
  
He looked pointedly from Harry to Rose and back again. He walked right up to Rose... Everyone, quite uncharacteristically, stayed where they were.... "And her father isn't a criminal." He said, whispering that part into her ear. He sneered, and left because Hermione seemed to have snapped out of it and was holding her wand pointing at him. Rose went beet-root red. Looking very, very upset.   
  
"I... Got to.... I'm..... Bye." She left the compartment, nearly in tears.   
  
"What... Wha? What happened?" Ron asked.   
  
"Draco, that ass, said something to really upset Rose....." Harry said, looking a little mad...   
  
"Should I...." Harry didn't finish the scentence. He was interrupted by Hermione.  
  
"Harry," said Hermione giving him a look. "You don't KNOW her. AND you're horrible at comforting crying girls, as your performance with Cho last year shows." Harry's turn to go red. Luna got up, looking a little angry.   
  
"I'll go find her." She does not have her dreamy look. Her's is the face of a woman at war. You don't mess with Luna's friends.   
  
Rose had found a corner in the hallway and curled herself into a ball, crying into her arms. It wasn't her fault her father was a convicted criminal.... And it wasn't her fault that Draco had somehow found out... God, he could make her life hell this year... How had he known? No one knew.... Well, almost no one.  
  
Luna came up to the corner.   
  
"Rose... Rose... Shhhhhhh Rose...." Luna knelt down next to Rose. Yes she was unusal. But the dreaminess, was, partly, an act to help cover up how hurt she was by the insults, and the stealing of her things. If others thought she missed everything, she could pretend she missed some of it. Such as the insults. She could even pretend to herself.   
  
"Go away..." Rose said, still crying. "If you're going to let an ass like Draco Malfoy upset you like this then you're not nearly as strong as I thought." Luna said. She hates to be mean but Rose needs a kick in the pants. Rose looked up, sniffling.   
  
"You're right," She paused, half-smiling "though you didn't need to be mean about it, Lune!" Rose said, using her nickname for Luna. 'Of course, Luna doesn't know about father... No one knows.. Except Draco and herself, and, obviously, her mother... Well, on second thought, Snape might know.......' She thought. He hated her, just as he had hated her father.   
  
"I hate to interrupt, Ro," Luna said, using her private nickname for Rose.... "But you look like me right now." She grinned. Rose stood up, wiping her eyes.   
  
"Do I really?" Luna didn't answer.   
  
They headed back to the compartment, pausing, listening to what they were saying...   
  
"What did Draco mean by that fangirl nonsense?" Harry asked Hermione. God the boy was obtuse when it came to girls.   
  
"Yeah what did he mean?" Ron asked.   
  
"Good lord you two. If you can't see what's literally right next to you," She looked pointedly at Harry "Or across from you, as the case may be," Then she stared pointedly at Ron. "Then you'll never be Aurors."   
  
Rose, blushing furiously, because even if the boys hadn't got it, she had, opened the compartment door.   
  
"Sorry about that. Shouldn't have let Dra..." she paused. "Malfoy, get to me" Rose said, sighing.   
  
"Yeah... well Draco's an ass... He gets to all of us." Hermione said.   
  
Ron pretended to be in shock that Hermione had used bad language. Hermione smacked the back of Ron's head. The other two girls exchanged knowing glances, while Harry just looked bewildered.   
  
While all of this was going on, the snack-cart witch tapped gently on the compartment door. Hermione stopped smacking ron and Ron stopped hiding. Rose reached over and opened the door.   
  
"Snacks, dearies?" The old witch asked with a kndly smile. Everyone but Ron bought snacks. He looked more than a bit embarassed. Everyone eneded up sharing with him in the end anyway though.  
  
Some conversation went on during the train ride that is of interest to my readers:  
  
"Rose, I don't mean to be rude, but I noticed, you have an accent..." Hermione commented.   
  
"American?" Ron questioned in a muffled voice through a mouthful of Pumpkin Pasty.   
  
"Ron, that's truly disgusting!" Hermione said, as Harry chuckled.   
  
"Yeah, I'm an American Exchange student. Mom wanted me to go to school here, like she did. She's American too."   
  
"Wha', 'bout 'our da'?" Ron said, through another HUGE mouthful of Pumpkin Pasty. Rose, quite unfortunately, understood him.   
  
"He is... was, English. He's dead." She said shortly Luna looked piercingly at her. Rose ignored her.  
  
The afternoon passed comfortably, other than that episode, with Rose ending up feeling as though, if she was not exactly a part of the Trio, she could consider herself in the outer limits of their circle of friends. Not a bad first-day accomplishment for a weirdo student. Not a bad first day at all. She reminded herself that there was still the sorting and the feast to get through, then shrugged it off and went back to her game of wizard's chess with Ron.   
  
Everything would be fine. 


	2. On the Horizon

As it turned out, nothing would be fine. Oh, to be sure, the ride to the castle would go splendidly as would the sorting and the feast..... But there was a menace on the horizon for Rose. And his name was Draco Malfoy. But I am getting ahead of the story.  
  
As day turned to night they arrived at Hogsmeade Station. The little group was joined by Ginny Weasly, whose robes were looking rumpled and whose hair was very mussed, And by Neville Longbottom whose appearance wasn't much better and who blushed furiously every time he looked at Ginny, who had a stupid grin on her face.  
  
Ron was looking between Neville and Ginny, a look of horror dawning on his face. Harry was trying not to grin. Hermione kept changing between looking horrified and trying not to giggle. "You've been kissing." Luna said dreamily to Ginny and Neville. Both blushed an even brighter sahde of red and smiled sheepishly. "Errrrm..." Neville said. Just as Ron was about to explode they all heard Hagrid shouting for first years to find a boat and for all others to find a carriage.  
  
"Saved by the gamekeeper..." Harry muttered to Rose, who grinned. Though Rose's parents were both wizards, she wasn't fully pureblood. Her mother's grandmother had been a Muggle. And her grandmother had been half Veela, half Muggle. She had grown up with her Mother and Grandmother, in America, in a household which had quite a few muggle things in it. a TV a phone and a computer, for instance.   
  
"I thought that was 'Saved by the Bell'?" She murmured back. They grinned at each other and Rose had a very hard time not melting.   
  
"Oi, love birds, let's find a carriage!" Ron said Irately. Both Harry and Rose blushed and stood a full ten feet apart as they walked to the carriages. Friends could be so annoying...  
  
The seven of them all decided to pile into one Carriage. Some in the party could see the thestrals. Obviously Harry could. Luna could also, again, obviously. Neville, having seen Sirius die last year, could now see them. And, so could Rose. It was obvious to Harry she was seeing them. All the others were inside... But Rose was staring at the thestrals and Harry was staring at Rose.   
  
"You... You see them too?" He said softly. She nodded. "But... who..." He didn't bother to think that it might be a sensitive subject.   
  
"I don't want to talk about it." She muttered, turning away and getting into the carriage. Harry followed.   
  
"Sorry.." He mumbled apoligetically.   
  
"S'ok." She said softly.   
  
"What are you two on about?" Ron asked as the carriage started.   
  
Harry shrugged 'Nothing." He said in a tone that clearly said neither of them wanted to talk about it. Ron, who knew that tone, dropped it. He may not have been the brightest, but he wasn't stupid.  
  
They chatted all the way back to the castle. The older ones discovered that Ginny had been exchanging letters with Luna over the summer, and that, during the last school year, Rose and Ginny had become good friends. The seven made plans to sit together at breakfast the next day. Then they all piled out.   
  
"I'll see you guys later.... I have to say hi to some of my other friends." She hugged Ginny and Luna, then smiled at everyone, and left. Harry looked after her.   
  
"Hellllllllloooooooo?" Ron said, waving his hand in front of Harry's face.   
  
"Earth to Harry!" Harry turned red as Ginny giggled, Luna smiled and Hermione shook her head in exasperation.   
  
"Harry, mate, she must be part Veela...." Ron muttered, jokingly, to Harry as they started walking.   
  
Luna walked faster and got ahead of them. Over her shoulder she called, "She is." Luna got to the castle first.   
  
Rose went up to Parvati and Lavender, but they just gave her looks. Rose felt hurt. Then it dawned on her. They were the two best looking girls in Gryffindor.... But now that Rose's Veela side was starting to show she was just as pretty as them. 'I'm less shallow too!' She told herself fiercely. She flashed them a winning smile then walked away from them with as much dignity as possible, catching up to a few other Gryffindor fifth year girls.   
  
There were six of them all together. There was Opal Patil, who was Padma and Parvati's cousin, Rose and Ginny themselves, a girl named Lucy Portford and Kylie Thomas, Dean Thomas' younger sister. Last but not least was a very skinny girl named Georgia Parker. None of the other girls talked to her. She'd never said a word to any of them. She walked behind them, her robes too big for her tiny little body.   
  
As for the personalities and looks of these six girls, they varied enormously.   
  
Ginny Weasly was stubborn funny and sensitive, as well as a bit of a tomboy, always one to wear jeans on the weekends. Her red hair went to her shoulder baldes, she was quite tan for a red head, with lots of freckles and brown eyes. She had a witch-next-door look about her.   
  
Rose was almost as eccentric as Luna, though not obviously so. She had gone to muggle primary school before coming to Hogwarts, because they wanted her to be able to take a career in the muggle world should she so choose. She was, at first, in culture shock when she came to Hogwarts. She'd gone to a great private school. People joked at her old school, and of course, some people disliked others but they didn't have sworn enemies. People were also a lot less casual about dropping insults and a lot more careful about feelings at her old school. She had had to toughen up. She could stand up for herself, but still cried very easily. She was an animal fanatic, and Hagrid's very best student. She was not a vegetarian, but fought wildly against anyone who tortured aniamls on Hogwarts property. She was friends with Hagrid as well, often going down to his hut on weekends once in awhile with Ginny, for a cup of tea. As far as looks went, just this summer she had filled out, and already, on the first day of school, people were noticing. She was fairly curvy, though she was no Pamela Anderson (a very erm.... Well endowed famous person in Muggle culture, for those who are wizard raised). She was about 5'6" tall. Her hair was auburn and shoulder length, she had a round, pretty face and almond shaped hazel eyes.  
  
Opal Patil was by far the most studious out of the three Patils. She wasn't as pretty as her cousins, but she was still very pretty. Dark tan skin, big brown eyes, long black hair. She wore glasses and got the best grades out of anyone else in fifth year.   
  
Lucy Portford was good friends with Lavender and Parvati Patil. She got alright grades but was more worried about getting Dumbledore to allow dances on the weekends, and what color robes she'd wear to Hogsmeade than anything else. She might have been considered the prettiest out of all of them. Might have. But she was so un-unique. Blonde hair, blue eyes, fairly curvy, average height. I guess some people, even wizards, like cookie-cutter beauty.   
  
Kylie Thomas was like a female, younger, Neville. Neville in his younger days that is (just this summer Neville had lost some weight, and his magic had been improvng a bit too). Kylie was always tripping over her own feet. She was a little chubby, in a cute sort of way, and much younger than her age. She tried very hard to get good grades, but jsut managed to barely be average in everything but Potions and Astronomy. At Potions she was one of the VERY WORST students in Hogwarts, even worse than Neville, if that can be imagined. In Astronomy, she was just about the best. She loved Astronomy dearly, it was her life-saver.  
  
Georgia Parker... Well.... None of them had ever said more than 'Hello' 'Bye' 'Morning' or 'Goodnight' to her. The only people who even did that anymore were Ginny, Rose and Opal. Why? Because Georgia had never, ever spoken back. She was never called on in class, never raised her hand. teachers left her alone. She never lsot any points, never earned any, she got average grades.... She was noticed and whispered about because of her appearance. She was very, very short, 4'9". She had frizzy, mousy hair, grey eyes and knobbly knees. She was painfully plain. And she'd never spoken a word to anyone at Hogwarts. At least, not that anyone knew of. Her portion of the fifth year girl's dorm was just as it had been the day she first came to Hogwarts. She did nothing to it. She was strange indeed.  
  
Opal, Ginny and Rose all walked up to the castle together, talking and laughing. Lucy walked with Lavender and Parvati, and Parvati's sister Padma. Padma wasn't as gossipy as the other three however. She looked a bit bored. Poor Kylie walked all by herself... She didn't ask if she could join with Opal Rose and Ginny, and she would never dare approach the other four. They were quite popular... And she... Wasn't.  
  
Georgia was already inside the castle, seated at the very far corner of the table. No one sat next to her. She didn't seem to care.   
  
Once Opal, Ginny and Rose got to the Gryffindor table, they all sat together, along with Harry, Hermione and Ron. Neville sat with them, next to Ginny, much to Ron's chagrin. Luna had to sit at Ravenclaw table, but they waved to her and smiled. Well, Ron didn't. He still didn't get Luna in the slightest. Kylie shyly asked if she could sit with them. "Yes." Rose said, before anyone could say anything. 'That was a bit presumptuous of her...' hermione thought... But she was very nice. 'I suppose it's alright... She's kind, at least.' Hermione thought to herself. When the sorting was over with Gryffindor had nine new members, four girls and five boys, Hufflepuff had 3 new boys and 5 new girls. Ravenclaw got 10, four boys and six girls. Slytherin got thirteen new members. The Gryffindors exchanged worried glances. THIRTEEN! How could Slytherin get thirteen members... It seemed.. Unbalanced some how. Out of forty students, for that one house to get thirteen.... That was disturbing. Even McGonagall looked confused.   
  
Everyone went quiet as Dumbledore stood. "I have a few announcements to make. Some are bad, some are good." he paused "First of all, I must again warn you all, the Forbidden Forest is named the Forbidden Forst for a reason. Do not go in there under any circumstances." He seemed to look straight at the Trio as he said this. "On a more disturbing note... One of our ex-teahcers, Remus Lupin, has been accused of murder. He is awaiting trial." Rose was trying to breathe... Remus was the best teacher she'd ever had.. He was so nice. She was so pale the others noticed.   
  
"Rose?" Opal asked worriedly. "Rose, are you okay?"   
  
Rose nodded stiffly, not listening as Dumbledore went on to tell them that there would be a dance once a month, much to Lucy, Lavender and Parvati's delight, and Ron's chagrin.   
  
"The first dance will be next Friday, that's tweleve days from now, it will be a welcome home dance. Dress robes are not required, but they are encouraged." Dumbledore smiled. "And now, the feast." As he sat food appeared on all the platters and people began serving themselves. Rose served herself, but barely touched her food.   
  
"Rose, did you hear? There'll be a dance next Friday!" Opal said. Though she didn't care that much she was trying to get her friend to stop looking so scarily pale. Rose snapped out of it... She just had to keep hiding it... She had to.   
  
"Oh, really!?!" She smiled. "I like dances." She shoved all thoughts of Remus Lupin, who had been her favorite DADA teacher, to the back of her mind.   
  
"Who do you hope will ask you?" Ginny said mischeviously, looking at Harry, then Rose.   
  
Rose blushed.. "Oh, I don't know...."   
  
When the feast finally ended they trooped up to the common room. The girls were too tired to personalize their space tonight. They all collapsed into bed, and were soon fast asleep. All but one........  
  
Rose tossed and turned all night. Unable to shake the depression coming over her. Around others she could hide it. But to herself, she couldn't lie.  
  
The next morning Rose woke up. Well, she couldn't wake up. She'd never gone to sleep. While the others bounced out of bed excitedly (minus Georgia, who never did anything excitedly), Rose pulled herself out of bed, groaning, dark circles firmly in place under her eyes. She went to the girls bathroom,w rapped tightly in her robe, school clothes draped over one arm, carrying her toiletries. She was practically sleep walking. Ginny and Opal caught up with her as she wa splashing cold water on her face to wake herself up. Ginny's hair was pulled back and she wore muggle clothes. Jeans and a green t-shirt. She pulled school roes on over her head absently.   
  
"Rose, what's wrong with you." Ginny said from under the tent of her black robes. Once she had them on, though, they proved to be too small.   
  
"Couldn't sleep." Rose mumbled. They smiled sympathetically. Opal went into a stall and came out dressed in neatly pressed, well fitting school robes, hair braided and coiled into a bun, spectacles in place. Rose left her auburn hair down, putting on her school robes. She definitely looked tired. Not at her best at all. Ginny and Opal exchanged glances as they half-dragged half-sleepwalked Rose down to the Great Hall for breakfast.   
  
Rose spotted Harry and smiled. He smiled back. Rose sat with her two friends, after having gone and said hi to Luna. Dumbledore stood before people began eating.   
  
"I want you all to know that there will be a trip to Hogsmeade this Friday, for you all to shop for next Friday night. This will be the ONLY Hogsmeade trip not on the weekend. We will be allowing everyone to go, not just third year and above. However, we expect you all to be responsible. It is only a two hour visit. Enjoy your breakfast." He smiled and sat.  
  
Everyone began talking excitedly about what kind of robes they wanted and who they were going to ask. Rose ate tiredly, looking as though she was going to fall asleep in her food.  
  
After breakfast they headed towards Herbology, the first class of the sunny, false-summer Monday. The first class of the new school year.   
  
Rose was complaining to Opal and Ginny that she was absolutely HORRID at herbology. "We KNOW you are!!!" They said in unision, exasperated by her complaining.  
  
She looked startled. "Well you didn't have to agree with me..." They giggled and she rolled her eyes.  
  
They finally arrived in Herbology, in a new greenhouse, one they'd never been in.   
  
After class Rose left with a big, horrid rash on her nose.   
  
"I TOLD you not to touch that fireweed plant Rose...." Ginny said, patting Rose's shoulder.   
  
"I... I look like my nose is... is... IS BLOODY ON FIRE!" She shouted angrily, having just wrenched a pocket mirror out of Ginny's grasp and examined herself.   
  
"Calm down." Opal told her quietly.   
  
"Calm down... Calm... What if Harr..." She trailed off, turning a shade that matched her nose.  
  
The two others exchanged glances. "Oh come on Rose. What don't you just admit you're absolutely loony about him!?!" Ginny said.   
  
"I mean, it's obvious you fancy him." Added Opal.   
  
"But you won't even admit it to us! And we're your best friends!" Finished Ginny. "Well, besides Luna." She said, as an after thought.   
  
"I like you guys just as much as I like Luna..." She said trying to change the subject.   
  
"Quit changing the subject Rose, you don't fool us!" Said Opal. Rose was still the same shade as her nose. But as her blush started to fade, her rash became obvious. She ducked her head as she saw Harry passing.   
  
"Hi Harry!" Ginny said cheerfully. He smiled, looking puzzled as to why Rose won't look at him. Ginny gave him an encouraging smile and a shrug before the three girls headed on down the hall.   
  
Harry looked at Hermione. "Why are girls so confusing?" Hermione gave him a look.   
  
"It's because boys are so annoying." She smirked a a smirk reminiscent of Malfoy and headed on down the corridor. "Is it just me or did she just smirk like Malfoy does?" Ron asked Harry. "Hopefully, it's just you." Harry said. "But some how I don't think so."  
  
Ron sighed. "Girls." He said. "I agree." Harry said with a similar sigh. They followed Hermione down the corridor, and out to Herbology, where the other three had just come from.   
  
At the end of the day, after dinner, Opal, Rose and Ginny were in their room, each decorating their little space. Rose had already gone to the hospital wing, and Madam Pomfrey had fixed her rash quicker than quick.   
  
Lucy had done her part of the room earlier. She had bright pink bedspreads and curtains, and most disgusting, a moving picture of herself above her bed.   
  
Ginny's had a green bedspread and curtains. A snapshot of the Gryffindor quidditch team was above her bed. A small photo of her family was on her bedside table, as well as a lamp in the shape of a broomstick.  
  
Opal had red curtains with gold trim, and a gold bedspread with red trim. The picture above her bed was of her mother, father, herself, her aunt and her cousins Padma and Parvati. She didn't have any photos on her bedside table. Just a pile of books. But hung above the bedside table was a beautiful tapestry from India, which depicted their story of the birth of the first wizard.  
  
Rose's bedspread was dark blue. There were gold stars on it. The constallations actually changed with the seasons. There was also a moon on it which changed according to the state of the real moon. Her curtains were also dark blue, with another large gold star at each corner. Above her bed was a picture of her family. Next to that was a painting of a big, sloppy red heart. On her bedside table, which had a gold mat covering the top of it, was a star lamp. And a picture of a little girl, who looked very like rose, only skinnier, and years younger, with blonde hair. She only looked about three. She was grinning and waving.  
  
Opal and Ginny both looked at the picture of the little girl and exchanged sad glances. They knew who the little girl was.  
  
That night they had all got into bed at the same time, though Ginny and Rose were both still reading by the light of ther lamps. "Night all, I'm going to bed." Ginny said, closing her book with a quiet thud. She snapped her fingers and her lamp went out.   
  
Rose closed her book with a snap. She picked up the picture of the little girl. She kissed the glass that protected the picture, and put it back down carefully, tears in her eyes. "Night little sister. I miss you." She said softly. In her own head she said 'Night, dad' She turned off the light, turned over, and went to sleep.   
  
Perchance to dream? 


	3. Smacking a Malfoy

The week passed uneventfully. There were no more horrid incidents in Herbology with firey noses. Friday morning came around and everyone waited anxiously for the day to finish so they could all go shopping in Hogsmeade. The day passed, and finally it was 3:00 and everyone rushed up to their dormitories to get ready for the trip, which was at four.

"Opal, Ginny, let's all make each over the night of the dance." Rose said, sitting cross legged on her bed and bouncing excitedly. The 'populars' (mainly, Parvati Patil, Padma Patil, Lavender Brown and Lucy Portford, plus a few others, who were mostly what these girls referred to as 'wanna-bes') were sitting on Lucy Portford's bed. Lucy snickered as Rose bounced excitedly.

Opal groaned. "Do we haaaaave to!!!!???"

"Pleeeeeeaaaassseee?" Rose whined, ignoring the snickerrs of the other girls and the hungry stare of Kylie, who only wished she could be any one of these girls. Anyone but herself.

"Come on, Opal, it'll be fun." Ginny snickered. "We PROMISE not to make you look like a clown this time..." Opal glared at Ginny, then Rose.

"Alright but my hair..."

She was interrupted by Ginny and Rose. "NO BUNS!"

"We want you to look sexy." Ginny put it.

"Not Professorial." Rose added

Opal collapsed on her bed in a very un-Opal-like manner. "I admit defeat." She said dramatically.

"Good!" Rose and Ginny both said, pouncing on the prone Opal. And so began a huge tickle war on the bed. After about five minutes Lucy sniffed.

"If you don't mind, you're shaking the dorm. Besides which, you're all going to be late. You're not even dressed!"

"Uhhh... Lucy.... We _are_ dressed!" All three said at once. They were still in their school robes.

"WHAT!?!" Said the entire bedful of populars, even Padma, who didn't care nearly as much as the others.

"This is how we're going." Ginny said, very slowly, as though speaking to demented gnomes.

Rose giggled, grabbing Opal and Ginny each by an arm. They all ran off, out of the tower, giggling madly. Hermione and Harry saw, from where they sat on one of the couches, waiting for Ron.

"Is it just me or do you suddenly feel about 50?" Asked Harry, still watching a certain red-head as she disappeared through the portrait-hole. Hermione looked at him.

"Why, have a suddenly urge to run around holding hands with two girls and giggling?" Hermione said with a playful smile.

"You KNOW that's not what I...."

She cut him off by throwing a pillow at him. "Meant?" She said sweetly.

When Ron came down it was to find his two best friends hitting each other mercilessly with pillows. He coughed. "Shall we go before they leave for Hogsmeade without us?" He said pointedly, seemingly not too terribly happy they'd been engaging in fun without him. Hermione grinned and threw a pillow at him. "Hey!" Ron bellowed, diving and tickling her....

The populars walked down the stairs. They all smiled patronizingly. "Apparently the five-year-old mentality is contagious." Parvati said in a high-and-mighty voice. Harry wanted to throw up. What had happened? These girls had been nice enough last year, if a little silly.

"I know, isn't it cute?" Lucy said snottily.

Hermione, Harry and Ron all rose as one. Even though they weren't trying to be threatening they, all together, gave off an undeniable aura of power. "let's go." Ron said. They all marched out, going out of the portrait hole one at a time.

The two Trios met up in Hogsmeade and the three girls dragged Hermone off with them to buy robes.

Ron looked at Harry. "So, mate, who're you going to ask...?" He was looking at the back of Ginny's head rather pointedly. Harry decided he had to squash that idea.

"I was thinking of asking Rose..." He said casually. Rons' ears turned red.

"But I was going to ask Rose..." Ron said.

"Look, Ron.... Not to put too fine a point on it, Hermione fancies you. And you seem to like her." Harry stated bluntly, hoping to deflect an argument.

"Really? You think I should ask 'Mione?"

Harry nodded. "Yeah, I do."

"I will then." Ron said, his ears still bright red, with embarassment, this time.

Harry grinned. "Good, then." He debated mentioning that Ron shouldn't make the mistake he'd made at the Yule ball... "Ron..."

But before he could finish his scentence, Ron cut in. "Let's ask them today... Before someone else does."

"Yeah." After all, these girls aren't Eloise Midgens. They'd be asked out pretty quick... 'At least Rose would..' Harry thought to himself.

"Let's go get you some robes Harry." Ron said.

"You too, Ron." When Ron started to glare Harry put up a hand. "No Christmas presents ever again, mind you."

Ron grinned. "Well, alright then."

"Or birthday either..." Harry put in thoughtfully, then dodged the playfulyful punch Ron threw his way.

"After all, that's taking it a bit far!" Ron said. They chuckled together, and walked off to Madam Malkins

Meanwhile, the four girls were trying on robes in whirls of color. "Hermione, that aqua color is to die for on you." Rose said matter-of-factly.

"You really think so?" Hermione asked. All the girls nodded.

"Definitely." They chorused.

They picked out gorgeous robes for everyone, including Luna, who joined up with them not too long into their shopping expedition. Kylie had also come up and shyly asked for help. They'd immediately pulled her into their midst, invited her to the make-over they were going to do before hand and helped her pick out robes that not only fit, but made her look good. Ginny had an eye for that sort of thing, though it was far from her top priority.

Eventually the entire group met up with Harry, Ron and Neville at the Three Broomsticks. Then, all of them, Ron, Harry, Neville, Rose, Hermione, Opal, Ginny, Luna, and Kylie all sat at one HUGE table, drinking butterbeer.

"Is it just me or do you feel outnumbered?" Ron hissed to Harry and Neville in a stage whisper.

"You are out-numbered, you dolt!" Ginny said, giggling.

Ron glared at his little sister playfully. All the girls giggled. The conversation turned to robes, and at some point along the way the boys decided they'd had enough girl talk. But all three of them had something they wanted to ask one of the girls.

"Ah... Ginny.." Neville mumbled

Just as Ron said "Hermione, can I have a word?"

And Harry began "Uh... Erm... Rose..."

Those three girls all went a bit pink and smiled. "Yes?" They said as one.

All the other girls giggled, and got up. "See you back at the castle." Opal said as she walked off with Kylie and Luna... The others all sort of stared at each other. That is, till each of the girls headed off in a different direction, trailed by whatever boy had wanted to talk to them.

Neville and Ginny stood by Zonko's. "Ah... Erm... G...Ginny... W..ww.ould.. Would you.... wouldyougotothedancewithme?" He said, finishing very fast.

"What?" She said, honestly not having understood what he'd just said.

"Would... Would you, go to the dance with me?"

"Of course, Neville." She smiled and stood on tip-toe to kiss his cheek. Shyly, he slipped his hand in her's and they started walking back up to the castle.

Ron looked down at Hermione. "Uh... Hermione, would you go to the dance with me?" He said, looking unflustered. But the tips of his ears were bright red.

"Yeah, alright." Hermione said, sounding unexcited. But she was grinning from ear to ear. They too began to walk back up to the castle, though they weren't holding hands.

Rose waited as Harry stumbled around for words. "Ummm.. Erm... Look... We don't know each other too well but... Erm..." She looked up at him.

"Do you want to go to the dance together?" She said, rescuing him, not even considering the fact he might not like being asked. He looked startled 'God I wish girls would do that more often... Takes the bloody pressure off.' His face broke into a huge, goofy grin.

"Yeah, I do."

She smiled happily. They walked up to the castle together. At some point, her smaller, paler hand slipped into his, and they smiled at each other.

Rose bounced into the common room, grinning in a starry eyed sort of a way. Much to the dismay of everyone in the common room she skipped up the stairs and into her room. She collapsed on the bed at 6:05, Hogsmeade visit over, heart beating wildly at the prospect of going to a school dance with HARRY POTTER! Opal was no where to be seen. Infact, the room was empty. She drew her curtains and lay on her back staring at the ceiling and imagining dancing every single dance with Harry. Amazingly, in this little dream sequence, no one's feet got stepped on, and no one blushed at the feeling of hands on hips.

Ginny came in about five minutes later, grinning. "Neville?" Rose asked. Ginny nodded.

"Harry?" Ginny asked. Rose nodded.

Ginny collapsed on the bed next to Rose, and they both day dreamed together, side by side, on the bed. Opal came in, looking fairly starry eyed herself, dreamily pushed Ginny and Rose further along on the bed and collapsed next to them. "Guess what?" Opal said. Before they could answer she countinued, sounding so unlike Opal they both sat up and stared. "Dean Thomas asked me to the dance!" Opal gushed in a rushing torrent of excited bubbliness.

"Who are you and what have you done with our best friend Opal Patil?" The other two asked as one. Opal sat up and smakced them both in the head with a feather pillow, informing them both that Lucy Portford had not taken over their friends body. " Brat!" They shouted at her and tackled her to the bed, yet another pillow/tickle fight ensuing. Kylie came in, sat on her bed and started reading. Being ignored was her speciality.

Meanwhile Neville, Harry and Ron were all sitting in the common room, on a couch, looking pleased with themselves. They ALL had very pretty dates for the ball next Friday. Dean Thomas came up to them.. "Erm, Neville, I was wondering, would you ask Kylie to the dance...?" Neville's cheeks went pink.

"Well, Dean, I can't... I'm taking Ginny." Neville stammered. Ron glowered. Dean looked at Ron and Harry. Harry answered for both of them, as Ron was too busy glaring at Neville, who had picked up a pillow like it was a sheild.

"Sorry, Dean. We've both got dates." Harry said apoligetically, secretly jumping for joy that he'd ask Rose. Or, rather, that Rose had rescused him and asked herself. 'Kylie may be sweet, but she seems a few feathers short of a hippogriff. And she's a little chubby.' Harry thought. 'not that that's why I don't want to go with her.'

"S'alright Harry." Dean turned as if to go.

"Hey, Dean." Neville said. "Why don't you ask Creevey? He seems to like your sister alright." Dean smiled.

"Yeah, I will."

He turned again. Ron looked up from his glaring. "Oy, Dean! Who're you taking?"

"Opal Patil." Dean grinned and went off to talk to Colin Creevey, who could seen nodding and smiling not long after.

Harry, Ron and Neville were deep in a discussion about the looks of every girl third year and up, in Gryffindor. The three girls got up at around 6:30 and wandered down to the common room. Hermione was there, and, somehow, 'magically' several of them paired off. Opal and Dean went off together. Rose was willing to bet they'd be a couple by next Saturday. Ginny walked down with Neville, much to Ron's chagrin. Rose was fairly sure they'd be a couple by TOMORROW.... They'd been writing each other all summer. Rose went down, in a group, with Hermione, Ron and Harry. Hermione and Ron weren't sure HOW to be a couple, obviously. And Harry never seemed to go anywhere without those two. Rose sighed inwardly and told herself she didn't mind. She'd only known him for a few days, after all.

They all sat down together, after Rose, Opal and Ginny had said hi to Luna. Apparently even Luna had a date, she was going with a sixth year Hufflepuff named Kyle Smyth. Their 'little' group was not so little tonight, because it seemed to have expanded to include Dean, Kylie and Colin Creevey. Colin, however, left Harry alone. He seemed to have asked Kylie to the dance while they were walking down to dinner (they were fairly good friends) and Kylie was positively beaming.

That night the two Trios studied together along with Kylie, Colin, Neville and Dean. They were the ones that were really only in the group by association. It was surprising, really that Ginny, Opal and rose had been excepted so readily. But Rose was gorgeous, Ginny was Ron's sister and Opal, besides being damn near as smart as Hermione,was their friend. They were also all very easy to get along with.

Rose yawned. It was hours after dinner, nearly ten o' clock. "Ugh..... Why are we even studying!?! It's a weekend."

"We're studying because if we get our homework done now we won't have to do it tomorrow." Opal answered, just as Hermione had opened her mouth. Hermione shut her mouth again, looking like she was stuck somewhere between annoyance and admiration.

Ginny tossed a book at Opal, but missed, and it went flying at Harry, who caught it neatly. "Nice catch Harry." Opal said, without looking up as she finished her potions essay with a flourish Gilderoy Lockhart would've been proud of. Romance was getting to her.

Rose finally finished her own potions essay an hour later. She breezed through her charms and transfiguration work, being second only to Opal and Hermione in those classes and then spent the remainder of the time trying to steal Neville's herbology work to copy off of. "Aww Neville? Just give me the answer to ONE question?" He shook his head. "Come on Neville I bloody well don't know what the three uses of fire plant are! How do they expect you to learn anything in that class anyway? I spend the whole time defending myself from vicious plants!" Neville sighed and was just about to hand his homework over when he was interrupted by Hermione.

"Can't let you do that Neville. Rose, why don't you just get him to tutor you?"

"Can't I just copy off his work and be done with it?" Rose whined. Ginny and Opal, having finished their homework, were looking amused. Harry looked like he didn't know what to think. "Argh. It's 11 o' clock." She announced, glancing at the clock "I'll do the damned essay tomorrow."

Hermione shook her head as Rose left. "Don't you dare give her those answers Neville. She'll never learn a thing in that class if you do." Neville nodded, rolled up his parchment and went upstairs, followed by Ron and Harry. At around 11:30 Hermione went to her dorm and Ginny and Opal went up to theirs. The other girls were already in their beds, fast asleep.

During the weekend they all hung out, were pestered by Opal and Hermione to study, and had several more tickle and pillow fights, involving various members of the group, including, once, Luna, who proved too wonderful with a feather pillow. All in all the weekend passed rather uneventfully, until Sunday dinner.

They were all sitting together, all being the two trios, Neville, Dean, Kylie, Colin and even Luna, because people from different houses were allowed to sit at other tables on weekends. Suddenly Rose got up, remembering that she still hadn't done her herbology homework, and it was due tomorrow. "Damn... Oh damn...." She shoved the remainder of her dinner into her mouth and rushed out of the great hall.

Ginny gave Opal three knuts. "I really thought she wouldn't realize till she got all the way to Herbology and Sprout asked..." The group burst out laughing, then looked guilty.

Rose, meanwhile, had been in such a rush that she had forgot about one of the trick steps and was sinking into it. By the time she heard footsteps behind her she'd managed to get the other foot stuck also and was sunk up to her ankle on one foot and her calf on the other. "Help whoever you are!" She pleaded. She shivered when she heard that farmiliar cold drawl.

"Well well well.... Quite a pickle you've gotten yourself into." Draco Malfoy said from behind her. She could HEAR the smirk in his voice.

"Malfoy, just pull me out... Please?" The please came easier than she was comfortable with. She metally shook herself.

"What'll you do for me Clarkson?" He drawled, throughly enjoying himself. He hopped nimbly over the trick stairs and stepped infront of her, far too close for comfort, silver eyes cold with malevolent amusement.

"Malfoy, don't be a prick! Just pull me out, please?" She said, the please again coming far too easily. But she figured calling him a prick probably balanced that out.

"Calling your rescuer a prick?" He smirked. "Where-ever have your manners gone?"

"They sunk down the stairscase along with my feet. Look, Malfoy, what'll I have to do to get you to pull me out?" By now her legs were totally numb, one covered to the knee, the other to the calf. She was standing lopsided. She pushed the other foot down a bit so she could at least stand normally.

"Oh, let me think about it for a bit...." He said, taunting her.

"Malfoy get me the fuck out of this goddamn staircase! NOW!"

"Language, Clarkson." He said, coldly amused. "Do you kiss your precious Potter with that mouth?"

She glared at him. "Malfoy, please pull me out of here. If you leave me here, I'll only get pulled out by someone else." She paused. "And we've just started on transfiguring others." she smiled. "I heard you made a very nice ferret."

"Is that a threat, Clarkson?" he asked. She was hoping that the look that was so unfarmiliar on his beautiful, cold features was discomfort.

"Indeed it is, Malfoy."

"Why should I help you out?"

"Alright Malfoy, what is it you want?" Rose asked, sounding defeated.

"Hmmm.... How about you kiss me Clarkson." It wasn't a request.

"What in &%?!?!"

"You heard me."

"Why?" She was still in shock.

"Because whatever else you might be, Clarkson, you are quite a speciman." He drawled, stepping down onto the step that had stood between them so he was far, far to close for comfort. Rose was sure she'd heard wrong. Surely Draco Malfoy hadn't just told her she looked good. 'I think I might be dead.' she thought. "Yes, you'd make a lovely trophy wife. If you had silencing spell on you, of course." He said, looking her up down in the most leisurely of manners, till she was sure he was seeing right through her robes. She turned a brilliant shade of pink, then quickly, before he could stop her, she'd slapped him so hard she'd left a clearly defined red handprint on his pristine white cheek. He also lost his balance and fell, landing on his back on the stairs.

"I wouldn't kiss you even if it was the only way to save myself from a pack of ravening Dementors!" She told him hotly, green eyes flashing, cheeks flushed, wavy aubrun hair all over her shoulders. He looked up at her. And smirked.

"Oh, but Rose, you don't have much of a choice..." He said menacingly, slowly beginning to rise. "No one smacks a Malfoy and gets away with it..." She had to control herself mightily not to shake at the way he said her name. As if it was a curse word. But definitely his favorite curse word. The kind you enjoy saying, even if it's only to piss everyone off. But Rose heard footsteps behind her, though she couldn't tell who it was. Then she heard Harry's voice.

"Maybe no one's ever smacked a Malfoy and gotten away with it before." Harry said.

"But there are stranger things happening." Hermione's voice put in.

"Everyday." Ron finished, as he and Hermione each grabbed on of Rose's arms and lifted her out. She tried to stand and her knees buckled. All the strength in her legs was gone. Hermione knelt down next to her while Harry and Draco glared at each other over their heads. Harry had a tight hold on the back of Ron's robes.

"How long were you stuck?" Hermione asked her softly.

"Maybe ten minutes. But it was both legs. I can't feel either of them from the backs of my knees down." Rose replied. She was glad that the trio had most obviously not heard anything about the kissing.

"What I want to know," Ron said through clenched teeth, "is how a Slytherin ended up on the oppisisite side of the castle. And not even in the dungeons on this side, but in the towers."

"I wanted a bit of a walk, Weasel. Why? You fancy Weed over there?" He asked, obviously meaning Rose. Ron turned a brilliant shade of pink that clashed horribly with his hair. Somehow blushes were much more fetching on Rose. Malfoy shouldered past them, Harry barely stopping Ron from trying to disembowel him.

"Let's go." Hermione said firmly, taking charge. She and Harry each took one of Roses arms, as harry finally let go of Ron's robes. They helped her up the stairs and into the Gryffindor Common room, finding a tucked away corner.

"Rose, what did he do?" Ron asked angrily, straightening out his robes.

"Nothing. He was just taunting me, and refusing to pull me out." She lied smoothly, but her cheeks were pink. Hermione looked at her sharply.

"Then why'd you slap him?" Ron asked, in a sudden fit of un-Ron-like perceptivity.

"He called me something." She said, which wasn't a lie. He'd called her a trophy wife. Harry looked quite mad, but Ron looked livid. Now he was just looking for excuses to hurt Malfoy. "I'm tired." Rose said abruptly. "I think I can stand now."

"What about your Herbology paper?" Hermione asked.

"Bloody hell..." Rose muttered lividly under her breath. "I'll have to do it upstairs. Bye." She finished, got up, wobbled and then headed up the stairs, trying not to fall over.

"Something isn't right there." Hermione muttered. Harry silently agreed.

Upstairs, in her room, Rose Devine Clarkson angrily did her paper, brushing off her friends brusquely and quite soon going to bed.

The week passed fairly uneventfully after that. Except that Malfoy seemed to be waiting for her around every single corner. And that was always bad news. If she was alone, he'd make comments. If she was with her own friends, or the other Gryffindor trio, as she often tended to be, he'd pass by with little more than a leer. She wouldn't tell Opal and Ginny about the staircase incident, and eventually they went to Hermione and got the details out of her. They weren't happy they hadn't been told. They talked to Luna, who said that Rose was hiding something. Hermione had come to the same deduction. All six decided to get to the bottom of Rose's secret. On Thursday night, the night before the dance, all the girls of their little group, plus Kylie, and Luna (students from other houses were allowed in the common room as long as it was a weekend and they weren't told the password), all sat on the bed. The girls acted naturally towards Rose. But they were listening for any clue.

It was funny, that the only one who knew her darkest secret, was the one she could never trust.


End file.
